The Lengthy Island physician killed when she flew out of a transferring Airstream trailer had been touring with household to look at the eclipse — and her daughter witnessed the horror, a neighbor and cops mentioned Monday.
Nicely-respected pediatrician Monika Woroniecka — a 58-year-old married mother of three and allergy and immunology specialist with Stony Brook Medication — was within the smooth silver 2024 trailer that she and her husband had simply purchased two months in the past when the freak accident occurred on an upstate freeway Saturday, a resident advised The Put up by means of tears.
“They had been going upstate to look at the photo voltaic eclipse,” mentioned the grief-stricken neighbor, who solely gave her first title, Maria. “My husband noticed them proper earlier than they left. He occurred to speak to them, and [Woroniecka’s husband] Robert [said] they had been going up with their daughter to see the entire eclipse.
“Poor Robert. Poor youngsters,” she mentioned, crying. “Very nice household, good neighbors — the most effective.”
Minutes earlier than the tragedy, Woroniecka and daughter Helena had been driving with Robert within the household’s 2019 Ford Ram pickup truck, which Robert was driving whereas towing the Airstream behind it, state police advised The Put up on Monday.
The household, headed to an AirBnb in Cape Vincent, stopped at a Stewart’s fuel station in upstate Brownville for ice cream, state police Sgt. Jack Keller mentioned.
That’s when Woroniecki and Helena — who is ready to get married this 12 months — determined to journey within the trailer for the final 20 minutes of their journey.
“In keeping with Helena’s accounts, she was mendacity on the mattress situated within the rear of the camper,” Keller mentioned. “Helena recollects that her mom was making an attempt to safe the passenger aspect door of the camper and subsequently will get thrown from the Airstream.”
State troopers mentioned motorists who witnessed the tragic 3 p.m. tumble recounted the passenger door of the trailer swing open on State Route 12K in Watertown, with the physician seen nonetheless clutching the door deal with.
She was thrown to the pavement, placing her head on the shoulder, police mentioned.
Woroniecka was rushed to Samaritan Medical Middle, the place she was pronounced lifeless.
“They moved right here about 4, 5 years in the past,” Maria advised The Put up of the Stony Brook household. “They simply introduced the Airstream two months in the past. [Woroniecki] was so candy. Very nice individual — very nice.
“They’ve three daughters,” she added of the couple. “Certainly one of them is a musician. She was going to high school within the metropolis. The oldest daughter lives in Virginia. The opposite one is learning to be a health care provider in Arizona, and she or he’s getting married this 12 months. Oh God! I can’t consider this.”
Maria mentioned the daughter learning music would sit outdoors and play the violin, to the delight of neighbors. The daughter is enrolled at Julliard, in line with social media posts.
“They had been planning journeys,” she mentioned of the couple. “They had been planning to go to the daughter’s marriage ceremony in Arizona.”
The sufferer labored at Stony Brook Medication because the early 2000s, in line with her medical profile.
“She enjoys working with youngsters and their households and creating a long-term relationship with households whereas guiding them by means of power allergy-related situations,” the profile mentioned. “Dr. Woroniecka’s native language is Polish [and] attracts Polish-speaking households from far distances.
“Dr. Woroniecka likes to journey, hike, train, and spend time with household and pals,” the publish provides.
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